Behind Facebook's dodgy video operation


Hank Green is what might be called a "vlogopreneur" — someone who's started a successful small business in online video. So naturally, he's annoyed at Facebook's new video operation.
Why? Two reasons: First, Facebook has been clocking eye-popping view counts with the use of autoplaying videos that are heavily favored in the site's feed algorithm. But because of that very method of presentation, Facebook's viewer retention falls off a cliff — after 30 seconds, almost 80 percent of people have stopped watching, far more than on YouTube. So Facebook counts as a view any play lasting more than three seconds. If those views were a currency, they wouldn't be worth very much.
Worse, a huge amount of that video is stolen. Green cites a study showing that of the top 1,000 Facebook videos from the first quarter of 2015, representing some 17 billion views, nearly three-quarters were lifted from elsewhere. Unlike YouTube, Facebook has no "Content ID" system, which automatically detects infringing content and allows creators to claim a share of the revenue. The company will take the videos down if you pester them, but only after a couple days. That's after the video has gotten almost all the views — and provided space for all the paid advertising — it's likely to get.
All in all, not a promising start for such a huge internet company.
Ryan Cooper is a national correspondent at TheWeek.com. His work has appeared in the Washington Monthly, The New Republic, and the Washington Post.
-
The allegations of Christian genocide in Nigeria
The Explainer West African nation has denied claims from US senator and broadcaster
-
The best sherries to try this autumn
The Week Recommends The warming tipple from sunny Spain is an underrated cold-weather staple
-
London’s best breakfasts and brunches
The Week Recommends However you like your eggs in the morning, these memorable restaurants have you covered
-
Google avoids the worst in antitrust ruling
Speed Read A federal judge rejected the government's request to break up Google
-
Supreme Court allows social media age check law
Speed Read The court refused to intervene in a decision that affirmed a Mississippi law requiring social media users to verify their ages
-
Nvidia hits $4 trillion milestone
Speed Read The success of the chipmaker has been buoyed by demand for artificial intelligence
-
X CEO Yaccarino quits after two years
Speed Read Elon Musk hired Linda Yaccarino to run X in 2023
-
Musk chatbot Grok praises Hitler on X
Speed Read Grok made antisemitic comments and referred to itself as 'MechaHitler'
-
Disney, Universal sue AI firm over 'plagiarism'
Speed Read The studios say that Midjourney copied characters from their most famous franchises
-
Amazon launches 1st Kuiper internet satellites
Speed Read The battle of billionaires continues in space
-
Test flight of orbital rocket from Europe explodes
Speed Read Isar Aerospace conducted the first test flight of the Spectrum orbital rocket, which crashed after takeoff